The British government says it has no plans to impose a burkini ban

A Muslim woman wears a burkini, a swimsuit that leaves only the face, hands and feet exposed, on a beach in Marseille, France, August 17, 2016.
REUTERS/Stringer
The UK government has no intention to impose a ban on women wearing burkinis, saying it "sees no need" to dictate what people choose to wear.

A government spokesperson told The Telegraph that the swimsuit will not be subject to any sort of ban like the one which has recently been imposed in some regions of France.

"The Government sees no need for measures restricting what people can wear in public places," a spokesperson for the Government Equalities Office said.

"We support the rights of individuals in keeping with Britain's tradition of freedom and fairness."

The burkini is a swimsuit worn by some Muslim women, which covers the body, head, and hair.

Certain regional authorities in France have banned women from wearing burkinis on public beaches, citing concerns about religious clothing in wake of terrorist attacks which have recently rocked the country.

On Tuesday, pictures emerged of armed police instructing a woman to remove her burkini on a beach in Nice.

Another woman in Cannes, who was wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf, was issued a ticket which said she was not wearing "an outfit respecting good morals and secularism," according to French news agency AFP.

MP Maria Miller, who currently chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, added: "How each of us chooses to dress is a personal matter. In practice, the choices we make are usually driven by local cultural norms."

France is a secular country, which means its constitution demands religion be totally separated from public life. Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president who is in the running to stand in the next election, yesterday called for a nationwide blanket ban on the swimsuit, saying it threatened French identity.

The ban by several French regions sparked outrage on social media and has been heavily criticised by many politicians. London mayor Sadiq Khan told the Evening Standard: "I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear... It's as simple as that."